Convicted child rapist ‘cried’ after being ruled out of the Olympics
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
Convicted child rapist Steven Van de Velde 'cried' as he was eliminated from the Olympics after losing his beach volleyball match.
The 29-year-old Dutchman and his teammate Matthew Immers were ruled out of the Olympic Games on Sunday (4 August), after they were defeated by Brazil.
Van de Velde was reportedly brought to tears following the loss at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, but his involvement at the Olympics has been controversial from the get-go.
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In 2016, he was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in the UK, for which he was sentenced to four years behind bars.
However, Van de Velde served just over a year in prison and by 2018, he was back competing in the sport.
Many people, including survivors' advocacy groups, were furious that Van de Velde was allowed to participate in the Paris Games.
During his appearance at the Olympics, the crowd made their feelings towards Van de Velde known as he was often booed when competing.
The 29-year-old avoided doing any press interviews while in Paris, but his teammate spoke on behalf of both of them following their defeat on Sunday.
Immers told reporters: "If I can speak for him, after the match we lost, we were disappointed.
"But we said to each other 'Look what we did together. Look how hard we fought with all the attention'. We stayed together.
"We cried together off the field and said, 'OK, let's just enjoy this moment'. And we did that. So I'm happy we did it that way."
The athlete added: "It was an emotional roller coaster. I see it that way.
"We fought. We enjoyed every moment. So I'm really proud of that
"It was the coolest stadium I ever played in... I'm sad that we couldn't show our level."
Addressing the controversy around Van de Velde being able to compete, International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams said: "To characterise it as comfortable and happy would not be correct.
"We have made it clear we have been in long conversations with the Dutch National Olympic Committee.
"A crime occurred 10 years ago, a great deal of rehabilitation has taken place and strong safeguarding is in place.
"The athlete is not even staying in the village."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
Mia Williams